An essential, practical, hands-on resource for school leaders, policymakers, and other educational personnel, this practical, clear, and easy-to-understand guide looks at both the historical background and the contemporary legal issues that affect virtually every aspect of schools today. The new Sixth Edition of School Law and the Public Schools by Nathan Essex brings readers the latest information on today’s most critical issues, among them: recent rulings on religion in public schools, social media, Facebook and Twitter challenges, virtual charter schools, administrators’ authority at bus stops, legal aspects of teachers and administrators’ evaluation, teacher performance and misconduct, 504 Rehabilitation plans, the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act, violence and tragedy in U.S. schools, procedures for evaluating and responding to threats, natural disasters and school safety, proposed changes to No Child Left Behind by the White House, and the use of chaperones for field trips. Numerous application exercises and case studies give the concepts real-life meaning, and illustrative tables and figures further reinforce and amplify the ideas.